Merry Christmas, Darling
by juliawriter
Summary: It's the gang's first Christmas together as adults! And Ulrich has a special surprise for Yumi. Just a cute little fic full of Christmassy goodness. Lots of UlrichXYumi, and a little JeremyXAelita!


_Hey, everybody! This is my first story. I used to love Code Lyoko when I was younger, and since it's coming back, I decided I love it again! So, here's a Christmassy story about the gang, hopefully you think it's cute!_

_Disclaimer: I don't own anything you may recognize._

…

Christmas. Snow, carols, lights, presents, food, family. _Christmas_.

There's a reason it's the favorite holiday. You get to spend all day with the people you love, doing nothing but enjoying each other's company and having fun in life. You can sit around in your pajamas all day. You can bake endless batches of delicious cookies. You can open and enjoy lots and lots of presents. You can play outside in the snow. You can watch movies all day. The most important thing, however, is that you love what you're doing…and who you're with.

It was the gang's first Christmas together, on their own. They were in the midst of their college years at this point.

Yumi's mother, father, and brother all went back to Japan for the holiday, as they always did. She was upset about the fact that she wouldn't be going with her family, due to school and work, but as soon as the idea to start a new Christmas tradition between her best friends was brought up, she was just as excited for the holiday as she usually was.

Ulrich never had what you'd call the perfect Christmas. He grew up never having believed in Santa Claus (His father thought the concept was childish and illogical.), so he got a few presents from his parents (which he always knew were really from the housekeeper), had a small Christmas breakfast with his parents, and was left alone for the remainder of the day. He was excited for a _real_ Christmas with his best friends, the people he knew loved him (and he loved in return) the most. He wasn't at all disappointed about missing the usual "festivities" in the Stern household.

Jeremy loved Christmas. He always had, ever since he was a small child. He always got up in the morning, patiently awaited the waking of his parents (even though he was ecstatic on the inside), and opened his presents. The small Belpois family would have breakfast and enjoy the day together. The boy was a little disappointed to end this tradition, but growing up meant starting his own traditions for Christmas. And there was no one he'd rather do that with than his best friends.

Aelita was always like a small child on Christmas (or really, the entire month leading up to Christmas). She loved everything about it—the peace, love, beauty, _Christmas cheer_. Since she'd met her best friends, she'd spent Christmases with the Belpois'. She had come to love spending the day with them, and especially Jeremy. But she was most delighted for this year. She'd be spending the day with her best friends—who honestly _were_ her family. She was ecstatic.

Then there was Odd. Odd, much like Aelita, loved everything about Christmas…but most of all the food and presents. A day of pigging out on delicious food, while his other continued to bake more, was his very own heaven. Combined with getting cool new toys and gadgets, the boy couldn't find very many reasons _not _to love Christmas. However, this year, he was excited to be with his best friends, rather than his mom, dad, and five sisters. While he loved his family, he knew that his best friends also needed him. Besides that, they were _also _a part of his family. Except they didn't (without good reason) lock him in a bathroom for hours on end.

William, though he acted like the cool, rebellious guy he'd always been, couldn't help but smile whenever Christmas came around. However, like Ulrich, he never really did much for Christmas. He had breakfast, got his presents, and he and his dad usually spent about two hours trying to put together a new thing-a-ma-bob, and his mother would call them to go to her mother's house for Christmas dinner. William had a small family (He didn't have any siblings, and his mother only had one sister, while his father also had no one.), so it wasn't like it was a big family dinner. It was small and quiet, just like the Dunbar family. When his friends suggested that they have their own Christmas this year, he happily agreed to try something new.

Yumi would be making the Christmas breakfast, and later dinner. She agreed to make something everyone liked, so the meal would be huge, and everyone would most likely have leftovers for weeks. However, the girl absolutely loved cooking, so she was more than pkay with the arrangement.

Ulrich had put the tree up two weeks prior to Christmas, and all six of the friends helped decorate it (though Aelita did the most, and demanded Christmas music be playing as she did so). Since it was arranged that this new Christmas tradition be held in Ulrich and Yumi's apartment—where the couple had recently moved into together—Odd, William, Jeremy, and Aelita would all be sleeping over Christmas Eve night.

Christmas Eve was when everyone went to see their families (minus Yumi, whose family was in Japan, and Aelita, who had none). Yumi and Ulrich visited his parents for an hour or so, Jeremy and Aelita visited Jeremy's parents for most of the day, and Odd and William both visited their respective parents as well. Odd, whose parents were halfway across the world, had taken a flight back to his friends on Christmas Eve, eager to spend his first Christmas with them.

"I'm ready for food!" the blond boy yelled as he entered Ulrich and Yumi's apartment that Christmas Eve evening. He dropped his suitcase and stood triumphantly in the doorway, waiting for someone to greet him.

"You're just in time to help make cookies!" Aelita replied, running from the kitchen to hug her friend.

Odd spun the pink-haired girl around, "That's because I've got a food-clock in my body. I _know _when it's time for food."

"Yeah—we don't call you the walking stomach for nothing," Jeremy joked, also giving Odd a "Merry Christmas, it's nice to see you again, bro" type hug.

"Yeah, yeah, Einstein," Odd replied, causing Jeremy to roll his eyes and smile.

"Yumi, _gorgeous_, how's my favorite friend?!" Odd exclaimed, entering the kitchen, where the girl was mixing the cookie dough, chatting with Ulrich and William.

Yumi rolled her eyes, but smiled anyway, knowing Odd's character all too well. "There's leftovers from Christmas Eve dinner in the fridge, Oddball."

Odd grinned, gave Yumi a hug and a dramatic kiss on the cheek, and flew to the fridge.

"Nice greeting, by the way, Odd—it's nice to see you too," Ulrich stated with a grin.

Odd, mouth full of food, laughed and answered, "Merry Christmas Eve!"

Laughter erupted over the group, as William chimed in, "Swallow your food before you choke."

The blond did as he was told, and soon it was time for baking last-minute cookies.

When that was over, and the mess-of-a-kitchen was clean once again, it was time to lounge around the living room together and watch Christmas movies until they fell asleep, beginning their marathon with _Elf_.

Movie after movie was watched, and by the time _A Christmas Story _ended, Ulrich was the only one awake still. The boy got up from his place on the couch, being careful not to awaken his girlfriend, who had fallen asleep on his arm long ago.

He shut off the television and headed to his and Yumi's bedroom for the exact thing he was looking for. Once he retrieved the small box, he went back to the living room and, ever so gently, shook Yumi awake.

"Yumi, wake up," he whispered in her ear, careful not to wake the others, whose sleeping figures surrounded the entire small room.

The black-haired girl's eyes fluttered open, and she saw her longtime boyfriend leaning over her with a smile on his face. "What's wrong?" she whispered in return, her voice cracking slightly from sleep.

The boy shook his head, "Nothing." He held out his hand to her. "I want to show you something."

Confused, Yumi grabbed Ulrich's hand and allowed the boy to pull her up from her tired position. The two put on their snowboots and jackets, and Ulrich led them outside. Yumi, still confused and honestly half asleep, didn't question her boyfriend as he sat the two of them on the covered bench outside of their apartment.

They watched the snow fall down around them. Yumi leaned against Ulrich's arm and sighed contently. "This is nice…" she stated.

Ulrich hummed in response. He knew he wanted to do this. He knew he _had _to do this. When would he get another opportunity as perfect as this one? He had to do this, and right now, before he chickened out.

"Yumi?" he turned slightly, looking down at the girl on his arm. She really was perfect. Even half asleep, she was absolutely perfect.

"Hmm?" Yumi replied, looking back up at her boyfriend. She didn't know why Ulrich had woken up at 11:30 on Christmas Eve night, but she was glad he did it. The sight before her, the snow and moonlight, was the most beautiful sight she's ever seen, and she couldn't think of anyone else she'd rather share it with.

"Do you remember the first day we met?" the boy asked. When she nodded, he continued. "I remember the exact second I first saw you. You and I were in Jim's pencak silat class, and you were a little late. We were the only ones there. Jim was saying something about a Chinese restaurant or something, and you let him know you were Japanese, not Chinese. It was the first time I'd ever heard you speak, though I'd seen you across campus often. You were snarky, yet polite at the same time. I remember smiling the second I saw you. From that exact second, and even though I didn't want to admit it, I knew I was in love with you."

Yumi smiled and replied, "It was love at first sight."

He smiled at her and nodded, "Exactly. Love at first sight. And then, three years later, I finally got the courage to tell you how I felt about you. And I was lucky enough to have you feel the same way about me. We've had our fair share of fights, but I know that I love you, more than anything. You're everything to me. You understand me when no one else does. And I love everything about you." He dug the little box he'd retrieved from their bedroom from his pocket, and took a knee to the snow-covered ground. He opened up the little box and stared into the eyes of the woman of his dreams. "Yumi Ishiyama, I love you so much. Will you marry me?"

It was more confident than he'd ever been, and he knew it was because of her. He wasn't afraid, because he knew that he loved her. He knew he wanted her to be his wife. He'd picked up the engagement ring he held before her when they moved in together, and planned this exact moment in his head ever since then. No one else knew what he was going to do, and he didn't need them to know. He just wanted Yumi forever.

Yumi brought a hand to her mouth at the sight of the beautiful ring her boyfriend held before her. She was never a girl to choke up during a marriage proposal, but now that it was _her_ marriage proposal by the man she loved most in the world, everything was entirely different.

"Yes," she told the boy on the snowy ground. She grabbed his neck. "Yes, I will absolutely marry you, Ulrich Stern."

The boy had 2.5 seconds to smile his biggest smile before his girlfriend—no, fiancé—kissed him with all her might. He gladly returned the kiss.

When the couple broke apart, Ulrich placed the ring on Yumi's finger. It fit her perfectly, and he kissed her again.

They were standing now, on that beautiful, snowy night. In the distance, the church bells rang, signaling that it was midnight—_Christmas_.

"Merry Christmas, darling," Ulrich told his bride-to-be, voice just above a whisper.

Yumi smiled and kissed him once more, "Merry Christmas."

.

The next morning, Ulrich, Yumi, William, and Jeremy all awoke to the screams of Aelita and Odd.

"IT'S CHRISTMAS! WAKE UP, IT'S CHRISTMAS! IT'S CHRISTMAS!"

The two were frantically yelling around the apartment, laughing and banging pots and pans around to wake up the rest of their friends.

William groaned and threw the nearing pillow at them, missing the two obnoxious adults by a hair. "Shut up, I don't care, I'm sleeping!" the boy whined.

Aelita and Odd both gasped, and Odd yelled, "YOU DON'T CARE? Get up. Right now, Dunbar."

Before William could respond, Odd tackled him to the ground (which wasn't all that hard, considering the fact that he was only sitting lazily in the big armchair.

"Odd, get off me!" William groaned, while the others all laughed at the scene.

"Christmas rocks, and you're wrong!" Odd yelled at the boy beneath him. "Santa's going to take all your presents back, and so am I!"

"Okay, okay, you two," Jeremy stated, breaking the two apart. "Will opening presents get you off of each other?"

William pushed Odd away and stood up. "All right, let's do this."

After presents were opened, Yumi made Christmas breakfast for the group. They gathered around the table, eating the delicious food.

Aelita suddenly gasped, looking at Yumi. She grabbed the girl's hand and pointed to her ring finger, "When did this happen?!" She was obviously referring to the girl's engagement ring.

Yumi grinned, "Midnight exactly."

"WHAT? Why didn't you tell us?" Odd exclaimed, and hit Ulrich. "Why didn't you tell us you were popping the question?!"

"Because _you _can't keep a secret, big mouth," Ulrich answered his best friend.

Odd rolled his eyes, as Jeremy added, "He's right, you know."

"Oh yeah?" Odd questioned the genius. "Well since Ulrich and Yumi are _finally _getting hitched, when are _you_ gonna ask Aelita? Tic, toc, we're not getting any younger, Einstein!"

Laughter erupted in the group once again. It was a very merry Christmas indeed.

…

_So I hope you guys liked this. I was in a Christmassy mood, and I just whipped this up today. Merry belated Christmas, everyone!_

_I didn't feel like editing it, so I hope there's no mega mistakes._

_I'm going to bed now!_

_-Julia_


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